NIH Issues Updated NRSA Stipend Levels, Extends ESI Eligibility

By: Yvette Seger
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued two Guide Notices updating key policies affecting trainees and early-career researchers. On May 16, the agency issued updated information regarding stipend levels for Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards (NRSAs) for fiscal year (FY) 2025. As expected, stipend increases were nominal given that NIH is operating within the parameters of the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 signed into law on March 15, 2025. The updated stipend levels are applicable to all Kirschstein NRSA awards (institutional and individual awards) made on or after October 1, 2024:

• The annual FY 2025 stipend for predoctoral trainees and fellows is $28,788, an increase of $564 from FY 2024;
• The annual FY 2025 stipend for new (Year 0) postdoctoral trainees and scholars is $62,652, an increase of $1,644 over FY 2024, while the maximum stipend (seven or more years’ experience) for FY 2025 is $75,564, an increase of $1,476 over FY 2024.
• Training-related expenses remained the same as allowed in FY 2024 for predoctoral and postdoctoral scholars supported by NRSA institutional and individual grant awards.

On May 20, NIH announced the short-term extension of the Early-Stage Investigator (ESI) eligibility period to address delays to grant application submissions, peer review, and award processing and mitigate longer-term effects on the biomedical research community. ESI status is granted to individuals within 10 years of completing their terminal research degree or post-graduate clinical training who have not previously received a substantial NIH independent research award. The short-term policy extends eligibility by one (approximately four months), two (approximately eight months), or three (approximately 12 months) grant receipt cycles based on the applicant’s last submission date for a new/resubmission application. Application of this extension is automatic and does not require additional action or approval; ESI status will be updated within the applicant’s eRA Commons profile by June 8, 2025.